Grosely Rosslyn, Sorgen Paul L
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
Cell Commun Adhes. 2013 Feb;20(1-2):11-20. doi: 10.3109/15419061.2013.775256. Epub 2013 Mar 8.
Gap junctions are specialized membrane structures that provide an intercellular pathway for the propagation and/or amplification of signaling cascades responsible for impulse propagation, cell growth, and development. Prior to the identification of the proteins that comprise gap junctions, elucidation of channel structure began with initial observations of a hexagonal nexus connecting apposed cellular membranes. Concomitant with technological advancements spanning over 50 years, atomic resolution structures are now available detailing channel architecture and the cytoplasmic domains that have helped to define mechanisms governing the regulation of gap junctions. Highlighted in this review are the seminal structural studies that have led to our current understanding of gap junction biology.
间隙连接是一种特殊的膜结构,它为负责冲动传播、细胞生长和发育的信号级联反应的传播和/或放大提供了一条细胞间途径。在确定构成间隙连接的蛋白质之前,通道结构的阐明始于对连接相邻细胞膜的六边形连接子的初步观察。伴随着跨越50多年的技术进步,现在已经有了原子分辨率结构,详细说明了通道结构以及有助于定义间隙连接调节机制的细胞质结构域。本综述重点介绍了那些引领我们目前对间隙连接生物学理解的开创性结构研究。